O'Connor's rise and fall

Former San Diego mayor Maureen O'Connor appeared in federal court Thursday to plead not guilty on a money laundering charge. She is accused of embezzling money from non-profit organizations to fuel a gambling habit. She was accompanied by her attorney Eugene Iredale.
— Peggy Peattie

Former San Diego mayor Maureen O'Connor appeared in federal court Thursday to plead not guilty on a money laundering charge. She is accused of embezzling money from non-profit organizations to fuel a gambling habit. She was accompanied by her attorney Eugene Iredale.
— Peggy Peattie

O’Connor was then free to go, back to the Mission Hills home she shares with her twin.

Key dates in Maureen O’Connor’s life

July 14, 1946: Maureen Frances O’Connor is born in San Diego, the eighth of 13 children of Jerome and Frances O’Connor.

1970: Graduates from SDSU with a bachelor’s degree and a triple major in sociology, recreation and psychology. Becomes a physical education teacher at Rosary High School.

Nov. 2, 1971: In an upset, wins a City Council seat at the age of 25.

Sept. 16, 1975: Wins re-election to the council.

Jan. 1, 1976: Serves on the Metropolitan Transit Development Board and helps develop the San Diego Trolley.

May 9, 1977: Marries Jack in the Box co-founder Robert Peterson in France.

1979: Leaves the City Council near the end of the year, fulfilling a promise to serve only two terms.

Dec. 16, 1980: Appointed to the San Diego Unified Port District board.

May 3, 1983: Loses to county Supervisor Roger Hedgecock in a special mayoral election to replace Pete Wilson, who had been elected to the U.S. Senate.

June 3, 1986: Defeats Councilman Bill Cleator to fill the unexpired term of Mayor Hedgecock, becoming San Diego’s first woman mayor. Hedgecock had resigned after a felony conviction that was later overturned.

June 7, 1988: Easily wins a second term as mayor over ex-Councilman Floyd Morrow.

Dec. 7, 1992: Leaves office after choosing not to run for re-election.

April 19, 1994: Becomes a widow when her husband dies at their Point Loma home.

April 1997: Travels to flood-ravaged Grand Forks, N.D., with close friend Joan Kroc, who gave $15 million to help the community.

August 1997: Organizes a meeting in San Diego to fight for funding for the National Endowment for the Arts.

September 1997: Questions the city’s stadium deal with the Chargers that provides a ticket guarantee.

September 1998: Kroc announces an $80 million donation to the Salvation Army for a community center in East San Diego. She said she came up with the idea after O’Connor walked her through the neighborhood.

Nov. 5, 1999: Marches with African-American leaders to protest the fatal police shooting of former pro football player Demetrius DuBose.

July 20, 2000: Calls for the city to declare a state of emergency over skyrocketing electricity rates.

May 2005: Calls in a U-T opinion piece for a mail-in election to choose a successor to Mayor Dick Murphy, who had resigned.

Jan. 18, 2011: Undergoes surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.

Feb. 14, 2013: Admits in federal court she took $2 million from a nonprofit set up by her late husband and used the money to feed a billion-dollar gambling habit.